January 11, 2008

Canada live cattle exports to US climb in 2007

Canadian exports of live cattle bound to the US neared 1.4 million head, the country's second largest yearly total export on record.

Except for purebred cattle sales, virtually all Canadian exports of live cattle, slaughter and feeder, are headed for the US.

The highest export on record was 2002 when Canada shipped a total of 1.7 million head of live cattle to the US.

In 2003, Canadian exports were curtailed by the outbreak of BSE as the border was closed until the middle of 2005, when under 30 month-old slaughter cattle and feeder cattle were given back eligibility.

CanFax, a private Canadian cattle market information service, said that Canada's feeder cattle exports to the US this year will mark the second largest total after that of 2003.

Total feeder cattle exports are projected to total about 525,000 head in 2007, close to the record 574,000 head exported in 2002.